A SPATE of arson attacks across Salford knocked out 7,000 phone lines.

Eleven BT junction boxes were damaged over 48 hours.

And today BT offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for causing hundreds of thousands of pounds of damage.

In the past the city has been targeted for similar attacks and detectives have thought they were carried out by criminals to make it easier to break into properties.

In 1997 about 5,000 phone lines were knocked out in an attack in Trafford Road, Salford. Within a few hours 50 alarms had been triggered in the Quays area. The alarms work on telephone lines and were activated when the lines were knocked out.

Disruption

The latest attacks started at 11pm on Friday and ended at 1am yesterday. Engineers worked around the clock to get most of the lines restored by yesterday.

Police are convinced those responsible drove from one location to another.

Det Insp Joanne Rawlinson said: "In one instance a junction box was damaged at Salford Quays and 15 minutes later one in Eccles. Other areas targeted were Swinton, Trinity, Duchy, Agecroft and Irlams o' th' Height.

"No one has been injured but this has caused incredible disruption to local businesses and residents.

"If anyone has any information or thinks they saw something suspicious I would urge them to contact CID at Salford on 0161 856 5040 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111."